


Mistaken for Strangers

by maia smith (maia_smith)



Category: SKAM (Norway)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 04:03:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15307077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maia_smith/pseuds/maia%20smith
Summary: Isak meets and falls in love with Even.  After a brief affair, Even leaves him without explanation.  Isak is bereft and bitter.





	Mistaken for Strangers

Mistaken for Strangers

Part l

Isak almost said no to going out with the boys.  By night’s end he will wish he had.

It was Friday, he’d just ended a 72 hour shift and was off for the next three days so long as the hospital remained crisis free.  His job as head resident of the ER was draining but also very rewarding.  Today though, his bones ached as he dragged himself home.  Isak ignored the constant buzzing of his phone knowing it was likely Jonas or Magnus trying to nag him into joining them at their local.

He changed into a loose t-shirt and soft faded jeans that hung low on his hips padding barefoot to the kitchen to get himself a cold beer before thinking about what to eat.  Isak took a long pull from his beer feeling the refreshing liquid course down his throat.  He was exhausted; figured he’d watch a little TV then head to bed early.

He leaned his head back and started to doze off when he was startled by a sharp rap at his door followed by a loud whoop which could only signal the arrival of Magnus.  He groaned and considered not answering but then pulled his feet off the table and slowly got up shuffling to the door. 

Isak barely got the door open before Magnus and Jonas pushed their way in clearly having pre-gamed without him, chanting his name; “ISAK-ISAK-ISAK” swigging their beers.

“Dude, you are coming out with us to Papi’s there’s a group of new guys, friends of my journalist buddy Mikael I want you to meet, I’ve told them all about my doctor friend.”  Jonas said enthusiastically grabbing Isak’s leather jacket off the hook and pushing him towards a pair of worn clogs that had seen better days.

“Fuck Jonas, I’m not going” Isak protested as Magnus wrestled the jacket on him turning up the fur lined collar and zipping it most of the way up.  “There! That will hide the stain on your t-shirt and make you look less like a druggie”

Isak hitched up his jeans as he toed on the clogs.  He looked like shit warmed over and decided to go with the overall effect after running his hand through his hair by pulling a maroon beanie down over his uncombed locks.

“You look like you haven’t shaved in three days” remarked Jonas.

“I haven’t!” Isak rolled his eyes and finally smiled at his goofy friends.  Maybe no harm would come of spending a few hours at the bar with his best buddies.

Jonas threw him a fresh beer and the three of them stuttered down the stairs towards Papi’s.

***

Papi’s was their local pub.  It was just around the corner from his small apartment and close to the Kollektivet where Isak had lived for years with his close friends, Eskild and Linn, who still lived there. He wondered whether they would be at Papi’s, it would be good to see them again.

His shifts at the hospital were long and grueling so there was little time for his friends hence why Jonas and Magnus insisted he join them on this Friday night.  Isak was looking forward to a more stable routine once he was able to establish regular rounds and his own practice.  Hopefully he could begin to transition as soon as soon as a new head of ER was hired.  While Isak was proud of what he had accomplished over the last few years, he had become estranged from his wider circle of friends and wasn’t able to keep a relationship together settling for random hookups.  His only true confidant, in some ways closer than Jonas was Eskild and they did not talk as often as they should have.

***

Magnus pushed the heavy door open and the three friends entered the hot, humid atmosphere of Papi’s.  The music was blaring, a mix of contemporary pop that Isak wouldn’t deign to listen to on his own.  The atmosphere was convivial given that this was a place where groups of friends from the neighborhood would gather for conversation, a few laughs some alcohol and cheap but good food.

Magnus spotted an open booth with a large table nearby to hold for them and the group of Jonas’ friends who would be joining later.  He made his way over to claim the spot while Jonas and Isak headed to the bar for the first round of drinks.

Jonas nudged Isak’s shoulder.  “Hey stranger, glad you lowered yourself to hang out us.  I’ve really missed this”.  His pale grey eyes sparkled and he grinned at his best friend. 

Isak smiled back.  “Yeah, I need to get my shit together so I can hang out more with you guys.  I’m working on stabilizing my hours before I totally burn out.  Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do but it’s all I do.”

“So I take it there’s nothing on the romance front since Emma?”  Isak snorted at her name remembering her overly aggressive efforts to get into his pants.  His friends actually thought they were in a relationship for a brief time.  “No, nothing since Emma. Well at least nothing serious, just a few hook ups here or there” He sort of lied.

“Dude, that’s not good.  You need to start focusing on a relationship.  Look at us, me and Eva, Magnus and Vilde!  It’s good for the soul, you are alone in your head too much.” Isak sighed knowing the truth of his words.  He just wasn’t quite ready to spill the reason he didn’t have a girlfriend because God knows he got hit on constantly and it would be easy enough to make it happen.  Likely Emma would still be game although honestly, she wore on his last nerve despite being one of the most beautiful women in Oslo.

They paid for the beer, two for each of them supplemented by shots of Yaeger and ambled towards the setup Magnus was guarding with his life.  Since they had arrived first, they took the booth. Isak pressed himself up into the far corner by the window hardly visible against the dark wood for anyone to notice but his two friends.  That way he could choose to participate or block them all out. 

As the years passed, he had become even more reclusive and left to his own devices likely would never go out.  In some respects, he was grateful that his closest friends constantly insisted on violating his personal space.

They all got progressively drunk while they waited for Jonas’ friends to arrive making many jokes at Isak’s expense because he just hadn’t been around to mess with.

“God, what have you been doing this last year??” Magnus groaned. “It’s like you’ve been a ghost, a few meals here and there and then gone for weeks!  Hey you were in Bergen last summer, right?  How was it?  Any hot chicks??”  Isak took a shot coughing roughly and avoiding an answer.

Magnus drained his second beer and scanning the table noted all drinks had been drained.  He gathered up the empty glasses.  “I’ll get the next round guys.”  He collected the tray and headed for the bar.

Isak was very near drunk and Jonas’ buddies still hadn’t shown up yet.

Jonas patted his hand as Isak looked deeply into his pint, suddenly feeling low.  He was worn down and lonely.  Somehow, his best friend picked up on that.

“Isak, what I said earlier, you need to settle, find a good woman and just chill.”  Isak sighed.  Maybe it’s time.

“Jonas, I just don’t have time for a relationship.”  Jonas just watched him, not saying a word.  He squeezed Isak’s hand then and simply said,

“Okay.”

“Look, I’m not ready yet.  After dealing with my parents, I just can’t handle the thought.” Jonas nodded, understanding.

“You get it, right?  Remember what it was like?”

“I’ve wondered why but it doesn’t matter, you’re still my best friend.”  Isak gave him a crooked smile.

The bar was hot so Isak shrugged off his heavy jacket and wool beanie forgetting about the stain on his T-shirt and his messy hair. 

Isak started describing a new surgical technique the ER had used successfully.  He was very proud and it looked like he had Jonas’ full attention.

Their talk was interrupted by the ruckus of Jonas’ friends finally arriving.  It looked like there were five of them.

Isak glanced up and in the dim light of the bar and saw a series of tall silhouettes walking towards the table as Jonas rose to greet them.  They were boisterous, back-slapping and hugging Jonas, seating themselves around the table as a couple of them meandered up to the bar to get drinks.

He could see from his vantage point that Magnus was on his way back with refreshed drinks, thank God, he was way too sober to engage with a bunch of strangers.

Magnus was just now arriving back with beers and shots, sloppily leaning across the table where Jonas’ new friends were seated to place the tray in the booth. Isak immediately grabbed a fresh pint and took a long drink.

Magnus sank down next to Jonas leaving Isak slumped into the corner on one side alone, nursing his beer.

Jonas was enthusiastically talking to the guys about their common interest in skate boarding before he realized he hadn’t introduced Isak and Magnus.

Isak felt someone slide into the booth beside him but was not interested enough to glance their way.  He scratched at his messy hair and took a long draught from his beer paying half-attention.  He wondered if he smelled.

“Isak and Magnus, these are my buddies from film class.”  Jonas grabbed onto one friend. 

“This is Adam, and there is Mutta and Elias.” Jonas paused.  “Isak” he turned his body slightly towards Jonas, “Elias is Sana’s brother” This brightened his mood, Sana was his best buddy back at Nissen.  He smiled broadly at Elias reaching out for a fist pump. “I can’t believe we haven’t met before.” Isak smiled at Elias. “We have,” Elias said “it was just you and Sana were so into studies you ignored the rest of us!” _Wow!_ Isak thought, _what a great guy._

The warm presence next to him in the booth pressed slightly against him, Isak attributing it to the crowded atmosphere.

“Oh! And I can’t forget Mikael and Even.”  Jonas continued. “Mikael and Even, up and coming young directors at NRK.  They already have a hit on their hands, a same sex teenage drama that is taking the world by storm!”  Lots of cheers, Isak knew the drama.  The leg next to him twitched then settled.

Isak kept his head turned towards the window, idly brushing at his messy locks as the conversation continued, noticing it had begun to rain.  The guys around the table rambled over many topics, football allegiances, girls but mainly a discussion of Bakka vs. Nissen which he did not want to engage in.  “Did you know Even was a Bakka boy?” said Mikael. “Yeah well until he decided to skip out on us his last year and move to Bergen.” 

His body jerked as it hit him.  Even from Bergen formerly of Oslo?  What were the odds?? _Holy shit!!!_ Thought Isak, _it couldn’t be…_ He didn’t turn his head.  The presence next to him nudged at his arm.  He looked over into the eyes he once loved.

***

Sneezes

***

Even stared unblinking at Isak who tried everything to avoid his stare.  Seeing him again was so painful.

They’d had a romance while Isak was attending a six-week medical program in Bergen.  After a month, after Isak glowing in his new-found love, began entertaining thoughts of a long-term future, of coming out to his friends and family, instead, he was destroyed. 

***

Even smiled brightly at him while Isak tried to recover from his utter shock that the man he had loved and pined for showed up at his side as if nothing had happened.  His eyes grew wide in disbelief as he watched Even’s smile dim, his countenance sadden.   “You do know,” Even said in his baritone, “I always knew how to contact you.  I didn’t because I knew I’d hurt you and I’m not going to push where I’m not wanted or likely to fuck up again.”  He lowered his eyes and huffed out a frustrated sigh briefly blowing back the hairs falling over his forehead before pinning Isak with his gaze.  “I want to try with you again.  By the way, you look like shit” His eyes crinkled as he reached out to touch the stain on Isak’s shirt.  Isak recoiled.

“Fuck you!” Isak hissed at Even under his breath, his eyes glassy, his heart pounding.  Even’s smile faded completely.  He was stunned. That Even would remotely consider Isak wanting to try a relationship again shocked him.  Not able to handle another word from this self-involved asshole, Isak grabbed his coat and pushed his way out of the booth past Even and without a backward glance, left the bar barely able to find his way out of the crowded bar. 

The cool outside was refreshing.  He dug the beanie out of his jacket pocket and crammed it down on his head.  He made quick move to the tram that was getting ready to leave.

Jonas followed Isak out, grabbing his arm before he could board.  “Dude, what’s up? Something going on with your family?”

Isak shrugged him off, clutched at his body as if he was trying to hold himself together.  “Something like that”, he croaked and rapidly boarded the tram moving away from Jonas who continued calling after him.

***

Jonas was becoming a pest.  He kept going on and on about his fabulous new friends but especially kept bringing up Even.

“Why do you keep talking about this Even guy, Jonas?  I don’t know him, he’s a stranger to me.”  Jonas gave him a wide-eyed stare that implied he knew more than he was saying.

“Come out with us tonight.  Have some fun for once, you don’t work tomorrow.  Even is way cool, he has all these stories…”

Isak was so enraged.  “Jonas, what the fuck?  I do not want to hang out with your buddies and Even OK??  Just fucking go I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not, you haven’t been fine in a while.  Even said…”

“Even said what??” he sneered, suddenly realizing he was very drunk. “Even said what?? Since when is he the fucking expert on me??” He was so tired of hearing about how “cool” Even was, how much he admired Isak being a doctor…what was he doing to his life?  Again?  Why was he talking about him?

“Even said you obviously have been hurt…”

“What? I don’t even talk to the guy…” He was frozen, staring at Jonas helplessly.  Suddenly it occurred to Isak that among other sins Even might have outed him for whatever purpose, because Isak didn’t want him in his shitty life so he had to fuck it up for him some more.

He dropped his arms and sunk to his knees.

“Even doesn’t know me.” He covered his face with his hands and began to cry.  Jonas reached out to squeeze his shoulder.  Isak pulled back sharply.  He looked up into Jonas’ eyes and saw only pity.  That enraged him again.

“Even said he knew you in Bergen.”  Fucking asshole outed him.  He left him, broke his heart, shows up in his life, steals his friends and outs him.  Suddenly Isak is clear eyed, unemotional.

“Leave Jonas.”

“Can we just talk about…”

“No, we can’t.” Says Isak getting up.

“You already know because of fuckin’ Even.  I have nothing more to add.  Just so you know you betrayed me.”

“Isak, we are all trying to help…”

“No, no you’re not, this is all about Even.”

No, no Isak, it’s about you, you need to come out of the closet.”  Isak looked at him astounded and pushed him so hard Jonas fell on his ass.

“I AM out of the closet, asshole! Even essentially forced me out!  To top it off you just decided to befriend the man who broke my heart.”  There it was. 

“I am asking you again to leave because you do NOT know the facts.” Isak was starting to hyperventilate.

“If you don’t leave, I will!”  Jonas got up and dusted himself off, eyeing Isak warily.

“Go play with your new friend.” Isak sneered trying to hold back tears.

After Jonas left, he packed a bag and moved into a hotel room close to the hospital.  He made arrangements to sublet his small apartment.  He took a hammer to his phone, deleted all his social media and got a new cell, only known to his work.  He was so angry that his friends would abandon him for Even but he knew he has a bigger anger issue over what had been done to him.  He made an appointment with a therapist for the following week.

In the meantime, he nearly drank himself into a coma so he took a week off, something he never did before; his life was fucked.  He was done with everyone, especially Even who decided to show up and ruin his life.

He received a text from Jonas: _Even told us what he did and why he left you.  Why don’t you just hear him out?_

Wow, really?

Isak: _Glad he was so up front with you since I’ve been waiting for an answer myself. BTW, how did you get my number?_

Jonas: _Eva looked up your work record…sorry_

Isak: _Please let Even know I do not want him in my life, especially when it’s so easy for him to spill my deepest secrets so casually to my friends. He has made a fool out of me and I can’t forgive that._

To Eva:  _I resign (by the way you violated company privacy policy)_

Eva: _Isak no!_

Jonas:  _He was just trying to win you back._

Isak:  _Fuck off and Even too. He doesn’t deserve me._

To Eva: _I repeat, I resign.  Actually, I’m not but if you release any more confidential information about me to ANYONE I will report you and get you fired.  Stay out of my business and don’t call me anymore._

Eva: _I’m so sorry Isak.  Even was pushing and so was Jonas.  I’ll never do it again._

Isak: _Apology NOT accepted. I’m changing my number again and I expect no calls unless from the hospital._

Isak was consumed by anger and utter grief.  He grabbed his jacket and shoved on his shoes.  He thought he would stop at the most likely bar where he could hook up and get some relief.  Instead, he headed for the Kollektiv, praying Eskild was home.  He still had a key letting himself into the main door then trudged up the stairs to his old apartment.  He rapped lightly, the door swung open immediately and there stood Eskild as if he were expecting him.

***

_“He broke me, Eskild, I fell in love with him and he broke me.”  Isak cried quietly into Eskild’s shoulder._

Next up: **Bergen**


End file.
